'I dunno, boss,' said Mr Uniatz aggrievedly. He seemed to feel that Lady Valerie had taken an unfair advantage of him. 'Anyway, de door is open and she has hung it on de limb. I beat it downstairs and I hear a car going off outside, and when I open de door she is lamming out of here wit' your Daimler. So I call you up,' said Mr Uniatz, conscientiously completing his narrative.
Simon opened his cigarette case on the telephone table.
'All right,' he said crisply. 'Now listen. Hell is going to pop over this party, and it's going to pop at you. You'd better get out from under. Stick around till Patricia gets back, and tell her what's happened. Then pile yourself and Orace into the pram and tell her to take you to the station. Buy tickets to Southampton and make enough fuss about it so they'll remember you at the booking office. Come out the other side of the station with the next crop of passengers, walk back to Brooklands, get out the old kite and fly over to Heston. Peter will be there waiting for you. Do just what he tells you. Have you got it?'
'Ya mean we all do dis act?'
'Yes. All three of you. Teal will trace your call as soon as he gets back into action, and Weybridge will be no place for any of you to be seen alive in. You can take the scotch with you, so you won't be hungry. Happy landings.'
'Okay, boss.'
Simon put his finger on the contact breaker.
He lifted it again and lighted a cigarette while he dialled the number of Peter Quentin's apartment. The dull thudding behind him seemed louder and splintering noises were beginning to blend with it. The Saint blew smoke rings.
'Peter? . . . Good boy. This is Simon. . . . Nothing, except that a small flock of balloons have gone up. . . . No, but they will. In other words, Claud Eustace was here this morning to sing his theme song, as we expected; and meanwhile our protegee has pulled the bung. Hoppy rang up to tell me about it, and Teal took the call.'
There was a pause while Peter assimilated this.
'Which police station are you speaking from, old boy?' he inquired cautiously, at last.
'None of them yet. But I expect they'll all be inviting me as soon as Teal gets out of the wardrobe where I've got him warming up at the moment. And they won't leave you out, either.'
'As soon as——'
Peter's voice sounded faint and expiring.
The Saint grinned.
'Yes. Now listen, old son. Pat and Hoppy and Orace will be on their way to Heston with the Monospar at any moment. I've told them to pick you up there. Get on your way and don't leave any tracks behind you. You can take off at once and hop to Deauville; take the train to Paris, and I'll get in touch with you later at the Hotel Raphael.'
There was another pause.
'That's all very well,' said Peter, 'but suppose I don't feel like going abroad?'
'Think how it would broaden your mind,' said the Saint. 'Don't be heroic, Peter. I'll be harder to catch on my own, and there's nothing for you to do here. I shan't be staying long myself. I've got a pretty sound idea that the last act of this 'ere thrilling mellerdrammer takes place in Paris, and I may want you there. I'll be seeing you.'
He rang off before Peter could answer again.
The thundering in the next room was louder still; it could only be a matter of seconds now before the wardrobe door gave way. But the Saint stayed to refill his cigarette case before he went out and caught a descending lift that dropped him swiftly
